California Vital Statistics and Homicide Data, 1990-1999 (ICPSR 3482)

This data collection resulted from the project "Linked
Homicide File for 1990-1999," which was conducted by the California
Department of Health Services (CDHS), Epidemiology and Prevention for
Injury Control Branch, for the purpose of studying homicide and
providing evidence for the development of strategies to reduce
homicide in California. The researchers combined the strengths of law
enforcement reporting and medical reporting in one dataset. The
homicide data contain information on victims and circumstances of the
34,542 homicides investigated by law enforcement agencies in
California for the period 1990 to 1999. The data are Supplementary
Homicide Reports (SHR), which are received monthly by the Department
of Justice from all local California law enforcement agencies as part
of the national Uniform Crime Reporting program (UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS
[UNITED STATES]: SUPPLEMENTARY HOMICIDE REPORTS, 1976-1999 [ICPSR
3180]). The researchers linked the SHRs to the CDHS vital statistics
mortality data, which contain the death records provided by the
medical examiner or coroner of each county after investigation of the
death. Variables include total number of offenders involved, weapon
used in the homicide, county of the victim's residence, location and
date of the incident, date of death, cause of death, date of arrest
for the suspect, and whether supplemental homicide report matched the
death record. Demographic data include age, sex, and race of the victim
and the suspect, relationships between the suspect and the victim, and
the victim's marital status.

This data collection resulted from the project "Linked
Homicide File for 1990-1999," which was conducted by the California
Department of Health Services (CDHS), Epidemiology and Prevention for
Injury Control Branch, for the purpose of studying homicide and
providing evidence for the development of strategies to reduce
homicide in California. The researchers combined the strengths of law
enforcement reporting and medical reporting in one dataset. The
homicide data contain information on victims and circumstances of the
34,542 homicides investigated by law enforcement agencies in
California for the period 1990 to 1999. The data are Supplementary
Homicide Reports (SHR), which are received monthly by the Department
of Justice from all local California law enforcement agencies as part
of the national Uniform Crime Reporting program (UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS
[UNITED STATES]: SUPPLEMENTARY HOMICIDE REPORTS, 1976-1999 [ICPSR
3180]). The researchers linked the SHRs to the CDHS vital statistics
mortality data, which contain the death records provided by the
medical examiner or coroner of each county after investigation of the
death. Variables include total number of offenders involved, weapon
used in the homicide, county of the victim's residence, location and
date of the incident, date of death, cause of death, date of arrest
for the suspect, and whether supplemental homicide report matched the
death record. Demographic data include age, sex, and race of the victim
and the suspect, relationships between the suspect and the victim, and
the victim's marital status.

Access Notes

The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public.
Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

Methodology

Data Source:

Supplemental Homicide Reports, which are received
monthly by the Department of Justice from all local California law
enforcement agencies as part of the national Uniform Crime Reporting
program, and California Department of Health Services' vital
statistics death records

Version(s)

Original ICPSR Release: 2002-10-02

Version History:

2006-02-17. The principal investigator submitted a
modified data file. Changes were made to the data file, setup files,
and the codebook.

2005-11-04 On 2005-03-14 new files were added to
one or more datasets. These files included additional setup files as
well as one or more of the following: SAS program, SAS transport, SPSS
portable, and Stata system files. The metadata record was revised
2005-11-04 to reflect these additions.

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